News Release: 4/6/2026

"Sundown Towns" Director is Keynote Speaker at April Fair Housing Symposium

(SCOTTSDALE, AZ) Dr. Stephen Berrey, associate professor of history at the University of Michigan and director of the Sundown Towns Project and database, will be keynote speaker at the Scottsdale REALTORS® fifth annual Fair Housing Symposium on April 28, 2026.

“Knowing the history of sundown towns, including places that excluded Black Americans, Asian Americans, Jewish Americans, Mexican Americans, and Native Americans, helps us understand the legacies of these pasts today," said Berrey, "and provides context for how to create vibrant, welcoming communities in the present.”

"Race is one of the most common fair housing complaints," added Scottsdale REALTORS® 2026 President Polly Blackwell citing a recent Southwest Fair Housing Council report. "As REALTORS®, we have legal and ethical obligations to uphold fair housing laws. Doing so makes us champions for expanding housing opportunities."

Veteran housing advocate Laurie Benner will discuss clear and present threats to fair housing and housing opportunity. For example, the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has proposed rescinding its "discriminatory effects regulations" known as disparate impact.

Benner said, "HUD wants to pass enforcement of fair housing violations to the courts, making it more costly, time consuming, and creating significant barriers to upholding laws that have been in place for almost six decades."

In addition to moderating the symposium, Mayor Corey Woods will demonstrate how he has helped champion initiatives in affordable housing by working to improve community development standards in the City of Tempe.

The 2026 Fair Housing Symposium runs 8:30am to 12 pm, is open to the public and includes a continental breakfast. Tickets are $30 for non-members. More information and registration are available at https://srltr.org/FHS2026.

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Photo/caption

Photo: https://www.scottsdalerealtors.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Berrey-Headshot-2024-scaled.jpg

Caption: Dr. Stephen Berry, associate professor in the Department of American Culture at the University of Michigan, will talk about exclusionary history and its modern-day implications on fair housing.

More about Scottsdale REALTORS® [logo]

Established in 1963, Scottsdale REALTORS® is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association with nearly 9,000 members serving Carefree, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Scottsdale and surrounding areas. More at https://scottsdalerealtors.org.